The Missing Link in Prison-to-Community Transition
Our Mission
PHOENIX Rising Transitions is a grassroots community-based organization
that provides transitional support including education, mentoring and
community building with special concern for releasing convicts, ex-convicts
and their families, crime victims and the community at large.
Our Method:
Establishing the conditions wherein
transformation may occur
Intentional Interaction:
Conversations Between
Convicts/Ex-Convicts
and Community Members
InReach Projects
• Leadership Class
• Life Skills Classes
In-the-Community Projects
• Mentoring
• Transition Housing
• Community Organizing
• Public Speaking
Some Alarming Statistics
• Prisoner health is worse than the general
population at an otherwise similar demographic
threshold and can decline dramatically upon
release.
• Ex-convicts are 12.7 times more likely to die
within two weeks of release from prison
compared to the general population.
• One in twelve ex-convicts are hospitalized within
90 days of their release.
Barriers to Access
• Trust issues
• Unfamiliarity with the process and culture
• Transportation
• Health care perceived as a luxury
• Feeling overwhelmed at release
• Delays in getting signed up for Oregon Health Plan
Health Challenges
• Chronic Disease
• Mental Illness
• Accidents
• Inadequate Information
• Privacy and Health Education
• Problems with Pain and Pain Medications
Contributing Problems
• Have been told what to do for months or years
• Sensory overload – overwhelmed by a multiplicity of choices in the
world
• Easily frustrated and “turned off”
• Bring prison values from “the yard” into the streets
• Fear of being stereotyped
• Need for being treated with RESPECT (with a distinct cultural
definition)
Relationship
with OHSU School of Nursing
In 2013 PHOENIX began a partnership with OHSU School of Nursing, serving as
a practicum site for students studying the needs of specific populations. Their
research and interviews with PHOENIX members have uncovered specific
needs, experiences and attitudes that impact ex-convict health. We wish to
educate the medical community about this special subculture and educate
prisoners and ex-convicts about taking responsibility for their own health.
Educational Intervention
• Community Nursing student project through OHSU
• Within PHOENIX leadership training
• Questions-based education project
What most interested the participants?
• Pragmatic approach to education and attitude
• Measuring knowledge and attitude change
• Plan to continue training in future leadership courses
Do you work with ex-cons?
Probably!
• 1 in 100 Americans is in prison
• 14,706 people are locked up in 14 state prisons in Oregon (July
2015)
• 95% of all prisoners will eventually be released
• 1 in 33 Americans is on supervision
• 32,621 people in Oregon are on some form of community
supervision (April 2015)
What You Can Do
• Get to know excons
• Support policy
changes in schools,
where you work
and in the
legislature
• Host a cultural
awareness training
where you work
• Support mentoring
• Serve as a trainer
P.O. Box 723 | Gresham | OR | 97030
www.phoenix-rising-transitions.org
Contact Harry Olsen
harryrobertolsen@frontier.com
(503) 866-1554
Bibliography
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14,706 people in Oregon prisons (Oregon Department of Corrections).http://www.oregon.gov/doc/RESRCH/docs/inmate_profile_201507.pdf
1 in 33 Americans is on supervision: Pew Center on the States Report One in 31: The Long Reach of American Corrections, p. 7, March 2009.
32,621 people on supervision in the community in Oregon (Oregon Department of Corrections).
http://www.oregon.gov/doc/RESRCH/docs/community_profile_201504.pdf
Oregon DOC Quick Facts: http://www.oregon.gov/doc/GECO/docs/pdf/IB-53-Quick%20Facts.pdf
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